Basic Casserole

There are many variations, twists and takes on the classic casserole recipe so here is a range of our favourites you can try! This recipe serves four people. 

Base Ingredients

• 1 Onion (sliced)
• 3tbsp Olive Oil
• 1–2 tbsp Flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Stock (or water and stock cube)
• 675g meat (cut into 2cm cubes)
• Half a bottle of wine (red wine for red meat, white wine or a bottle of cider for white meat)

Timings

​Chicken – 45 minutes minimum
Pork – 1 hour minimum
Lamb – 1 hour minimum
Beef – 90 minutes to 2 hours

Method

1. Cook the onion in 1 tbsp of the olive oil over a low heat until translucent. Put into casserole dish. Season the flour with a good pinch of salt and pepper and toss the meat in it.

2. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a frying pan and heat until medium hot. Brown off the meat in batches of 6 cubes at a time, ensuring the meat is browned on all sides, then transfer to the casserole dish.

3. Add the wine or cider to the frying pan and let it come to the boil, stirring constantly. Return the meat and onions to the pan and add enough stock to ensure that the contents of the pan are just about submerged. Check the seasoning and add more if necessary, and tuck in the herbs.

​4. Simmer over a low heat until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally, or return to the casserole dish and place in a low oven using the timing chart below.

Variations

Cured pork
All casseroles can be improved by adding 3-4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, fried along with the onions. The bacon can be substituted for the same weight in salami, chorizo, or pancetta.

Vegetables
Adding more vegetable to the casserole not only improves the flavour, but it reduces the amount that you need to serve separately. Cook more robust vegetables like carrots, parsnips, celeriac, celery, and aubergine by cutting them into cubes along with the onion. Stir in more fragile vegetables like spinach, peas, and beans just before the end, allowing just enough time to cook through.

Spices
These need to be added with the onions. For a middle eastern feel, fry 2 tbsp of ground cumin and a pinch of chilli with the onions. Add a handful of prunes or dried apricots with the stock and a stick of cinnamon to infuse as the casserole cooks.

Mushrooms
Add 140g of sliced mushrooms or 25g of dried porcini soaked in hot water (adding the soaking water too, straining out the grit first). Fresh mushrooms should be fried after the onions and before the meat over a high heat. Dried should be added to the stock.

Tomatoes
Add a tin of tomatoes and decrease the amount of stock or add a squirt of tomato puree to the stock. Crush up some garlic and add it to the stock.
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Cream
Pour a little double cream to into a chicken or pork casserole just before the end of cooking.